How small is TOO Small??

[Loren&Rocky]

I have never been interested in minis because I thought they were just too small. Now that I own one, I know they are small, but still functional. Mine is 34 inches tall.

I see on line some people have "Dwarf" minis and they seem so small they are no longer a horse. I know some of these dwarfs have medical problems too. So, how small is too small? When do you loose type and function?

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]ALL of the dwarves have medical problems. They are not desireable they just happen sometimes and you have to love them for what they are. Too small is subjective. I know that Tony loves the under 28s. I dont like anything under 32. It is all individual taste.[/SIZE]

Lyn

 

[Jess P]

All dwarves have medical problems, like Lyn said. We had a minimal dwarf filly born here and she has a bad bite (Monkey jaw, I think), a short neck and large organs so it makes her belly look large. I also think she may be devoloping a roach back.

It is really hard to get a small mini that looks proportionate. Some people love the tiny minis, I would rather stick to 29" and up to 34". It depends on your taste

 

[Tapestry Minis]

For me personally under 30" is too small. Again that's just my own personal preference. I think that some under 30" horses are real nice and can't tell they are really that small, but I do not feel confortable driving anything under 30" Just kind of as a guildline and JMO.

 

[mistyrose]

A dwarf is not a function of being too small. It is a result of a genetic defect or mutation. Full size horses can have a dwarf (It would be biggerthan a miniatures) offspring. It just doesn't happen very often.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

For breeding purposes??? I think anything under 30" is too small (which in $ is 28" allowing for the different way of measuring

) And I speak as someone who has most of her herd under 30"- I am fine at this time of year- and a HEADCASE at foaling!!!!

 

[Jill]

I'm not interested at this point in owning anything less than about 31", and that's because of how much I enjoy driving.

 

[Loren&Rocky]

I would think that the real small mares would have a hard time foaling. I am not into breeding (Yet) but I would think crossing a small stallion to a bigger mare would be the way to go to get a 28 inch or less foal. What do you think?

 

[Magic]

It depends on what you want to do with them.

There are many people who love the smallest possible miniatures, and they definitely are adorable. For me, I am a big fan of driving and performance, so my preference is the 32" to 38" horses. There is a place for all of the sizes of miniatures, from the upper limit to as small as they can go.

 

[Miniv]

As has been posted, "too small" is a personal taste. It depends on what you want to do with your minis.

I am in line with both Lyn and Magic. The heights we prefer in our breeding program are 32" up to 38".

MA

 

[midnight star stables]

Well, I like size 35-6" minis for jumping and stuff.. like midnight

... but I'm not really fond of over36".

All our our broodmare will be/are 32-4" & double reg....But for a stallion, we like 31" to 27" if possibale... with long legs.

I think all minis can drive, jump or halter, no matter their size

JMO

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Because I show and breed, rather than compete ( I do harness train for other people, and I do actually need a harness horse for myself, but I cannot actually drive/ride competitively anymore) So... I am only interested in breeding the smallest MOST CORRECT horse I can. I have no interest in breeding anything that is not totally correct (as correct as it can be, anyway) I've come pretty close with my yearling- but she is a whopping 32" now. Do I value her less??? NO WAY!!!

 

[justaboutgeese]

If all you want is a lawn ornament any size will work for you. For me I prefer the largers ones. Mine are all between 32 and 33 inches, (I wish they were all six inches bigger) and all are driving. I think some of the smaller ones are just not cut out for "heavy driving". There are any number of small horses driving but I do not hear about them covering five to seven miles several times a week. Many of the smaller horses IMO are only suitablle for driving in a limited enviroment on good footing and loads appropiate to their weight.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

'geese I agree entirely- this is why I do not have a driving horse at the moment. I just finished off a 33" mare for a friend and she was just right (for me, that is- remember I am a Hobbit

) For real work- Yes, I think the taller the better, in fact I shall probably just get a Welshman- can't beat them!!!

 

[midnight star stables]

'geese I agree entirely- this is why I do not have a driving horse at the moment.  I just finished off a 33" mare for a friend and she was just right (for me, that is- remember I am a Hobbit

)  For real work- Yes, I think the taller the better, in fact I shall probably just get a Welshman- can't beat them!!!

453576[/snapback]

​

What is a Welshman? a welsh?

sorry

 

[Joyce]

I'm another "small mini" lover. I only have 2 over 30 1/2 on my farm. I find the smaller ones foal out just as well as the larger ones. If the foal is in the right position at time of birth, the little ones do just as well as their bigger counterparts.

Being small doesn't make them dwarfs.

Everyone has their own opinion of what they like. This is mine.

Joyce

 

[fantacsix]

[SIZE=10pt]I prefer my stallions to be under 29". (the smaller the better. but last to comformation, quality, disposition and pedigree, and my mares to be under 33". the mini in my avatar is my stallion AMHA/AMHR reg. AMHR Res. Nat'l. Champ. 2000. Heartlands Miracle After Dark. He is 27.75" tall at 8 years old. Allison[/SIZE]

 

[wpsellwood]

I want them at least 30 inches, but preferable a little more but no more then 34 only because there are more A shows offered here then R. It depends on personal taste and what you want to do and what is offered in your area.

 

[chandab]

Well, I guess I can add my two cents. I just got into minis this year. I've always loved horses, have 5 full-size (one for sale), but just don't ride as much as I used to or should (have two to train undersaddle). I decided to get a couple of minis, to fill my need to have horses around, I plan to train them to drive as soon as they are old enough (one yearling, one 2-year old).

I like my minis 32" and taller. I'm nearly 6' tall and the taller minis are easier for me to work with. My stallion will mature about 33", my 2-year old is 35", my weanling will mature around 35" (she comes home in September).

 

[Dona]

Since I'm not "into" performance horses....I enjoy, and breed for the little ones.

My small herd ranges from 27" - 32" at maturity. And just because one is breeding for "small"...doesn't mean we are giving up "conformation" along with it! You can do everything with the little ones that you can with the taller ones....just have to keep everything in porportion. I know of several people with under 30" horses who drive them regularly. And over the years...I've seen quite a few smaller (29" - 31") beat out the taller ones in jumping classes!

It all boils down to personal preference. Their SMALL stature is what got me interested in Miniatures many years ago...so I breed for the smallest "most correct" Mini I can.